Iton Deer Antler

Iton Deer Antler

　　Iton Deer Antler is a specialty of Yitong County, Siping City, Jilin Province. Yitong County has a long history of deer farming, and its deer population, total antler production, per capita yield, and high-quality antler rate all rank among the top nationwide.

　　Deer antler is a precious traditional Chinese medicinal material and one of the “Three Treasures of the Northeast.” In recent years, the scale of deer farming in Yitong County has continued to expand. By 2008, the deer population had grown to nearly 100,000. There were two large-scale deer farms with over 1,000 deer each, 16 farms with more than 100 deer, and a large number of specialized deer-farming villages, hamlets, and households. The annual production of deer antler reached 41,800 kilograms, with an output value of 62.32 million yuan. Yitong Manchu Autonomous County has become one of the major deer-farming counties in China. Key deer farming enterprises in Yitong include Yitong Dazhong and Jiayun Deer Farms. In recent years, driven by leading enterprises and supported by favorable policies, the deer farming industry in Yitong has continued to expand in scale, introduced superior breeds, improved the comprehensive processing of deer products, and developed products such as Three-Penis Wine, sliced deer antler, and deer placenta paste, striving to maximize benefits.

　　Yitong County is located on the foothills of the Changbai Mountain range. The mountainous areas in the north and south feature overlapping peaks, dense forests, beautiful scenery, fresh air, and pleasant landscapes, making it suitable for deer farming. Yitong County has a long history of deer farming, and its deer population, total antler production, per capita yield, and high-quality antler rate all rank among the top nationwide.

　　Deer antler refers to the unossified, velvet-covered young antlers of male sika deer or red deer. Male fawns of sika deer and red deer begin to develop a protrusion on their foreheads at 8–10 months of age, forming the foundation for antler growth. After reaching two years of age, the antlers begin to branch, and those from deer aged 3–6 years are considered the best. Deer antler is a valuable medicinal material. It contains phospholipids, glycolipids, colloids, hormones, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium, with amino acids accounting for more than half of its total composition. Deer antler is warm in nature but not drying, and it helps invigorate and enhance bodily functions. It is particularly beneficial for individuals who are physically weak or recovering from prolonged illness.